Welcome to Aftermath, a portion of our First Line email newsletter where Attorney Anthony L. DeWitt walks you through a real-life self-defense incident and shares his key takeaways.
A Pennsylvania man and his wife were visiting the home of one of the wife’s former in-laws when a family conflict turned violent.
According to police, the wife’s ex-husband attacked her current husband while they were inside the home. The ex-husband threw the man to the floor, pinned him on his back and repeatedly punched him in the head and face. The attack did not stop there. The assailant then grabbed a picture frame and struck the defender with it multiple times.
The defender drew his lawfully carried concealed firearm and shot the assailant twice. When police arrived, the defender was bleeding from his face. He told investigators he believed the ex-husband intended to kill him.
The attacker later died at a hospital.
How long should someone endure a violent assault before using deadly force to stop it? How do you prepare to defend yourself when visiting someone else’s home?
My guess is the wife had a good relationship with her ex in-laws but the ex-husband had to make a scene. If I read it correctly, it wasn’t the ex’s home.
As soon as you see an incoming attack, seize the opportunity and go for the face, the throat, gouge the eye, etc. No holds barred, the only rule is to survive. Why “endure” a violent assault when you can prevent it?
Once that person, as in the story, puts me to the ground and starts bludgeoning my face, I would be in fear of grave bodily injury due to my spinal disability
GLOVES COME OFF ! Round to the groin oughta do it!
Now he’s an Ex-EX! Thanks for playin’. WHAT? Too harsh?
NO ONE is beating my face in and THEN using a picture frame to cut me to ribbons? I don’t think so.
Just making a point NOBODY BLOODIES ME anymore. I’m not waiting around to see how bad it might get before I feel the ‘Authorities’ may cut me some slack and NOT send me to prison for defending myself. They may not like me having 'Hydra-Shocks- in my .44 but tough nuggies! STOP THE THREAT AS FAST AS POSSIBLE
Consider if the woman had kids with the ex the in-laws are still the grand parents. As long as the in-laws are decent they should have contact with their grand children.
I honestly don’t know how long I would have waited before defending myself, but I generally think it would be at the onset of the attack. I am not a young man anymore. I’m not going to wait around to see if someone stops attacking me.
I’m sure it is all situational. Maybe the guy waited because he didn’t have a clear shot?
or octagon. There’s no break after 3 or 4 minutes.